Panattoni focuses on data centres – strategic direction and a new team of experts on board

Panattoni, the most active industrial real estate developer in the world, is launching a new strategic initiative – the development of data centres in Europe, the UK, India and the Middle East. The project has gained the support of four experienced specialists who have joined the company.

The new Panattoni data centre team will be led by Richard Wellbrock, who has joined the company as Managing Director, Data Centres. He has over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry, including nearly 20 years in data centre development. Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer at Colt Data Centre Services (DCS), one of the leading global data centre operators. He played a key role in the delivery of AI-ready data centre campuses in Europe and Asia, supporting the company's growth from 100 MW to 1 GW of IT capacity, including as part of a $1.5 billion joint venture with Mitsui.

Joining Richard Wellbrock at Panattoni are: Nick Parker as Head of Capital Deployment, Data Centres, John Belton as Head of Development, Data Centres and Paul Terry, Infrastructure Director, Data Centres.

Nick Parker, formerly Global Senior Director of Asset Management at Colt DCS, managed a capital allocation strategy worth over 5 billion euros and supported transactions of approximately 250 MW with hyperscale clients. He played key roles in international joint venture structures and investment strategies in India, Japan and Europe.

John Belton, who served as Global Senior Director of Development at Colt DCS, has approximately 40 years of experience in engineering and data centre development. He managed the global investment portfolio of Colt DCS, creating a pipeline capable of delivering over 1 GW of IT capacity across multiple countries.

Paul Terry, previously Global Director of Development Infrastructure at Colt DCS, was responsible for the design and implementation of infrastructure – from land acquisition to commissioning – coordinating key technological and energy programmes.

All four experts will work in the company's London office and report directly to Robert Dobrzycki, CEO and co-owner of Panattoni in Europe, the UK, India and the Middle East.

– „This is a new, significant chapter in the history of Panattoni. Data centres are today the key infrastructure of the modern economy – and we are building a world-class platform to deliver them. Richard and his team bring unique knowledge and experience” – says Robert Dobrzycki, CEO of Panattoni.

– „Panattoni has an impressive track record in delivering large-scale projects at speed. Now, with a complete team, we are ready to grow our business in Europe, the UK, India and the Middle East, offering high-class data centre solutions for hyperscale, cloud and enterprise sector clients” – adds Richard Wellbrock, Managing Director, Data Centres.

Panattoni's expansion into the data centre sector is an extension of the company's existing expertise in building modern industrial and logistics space – the developer has already delivered over 23 million sqm across Europe.